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Read what real people think about The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, and write your own review.
The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
by
Erik Larson
Hardcover: Feb 2003,
447 pages.
Paperback: Feb 2004,
464 pages.
Rated of 5
by
Lynn
Good vs. Evil
Erik Larson did a great job of weaving two completely different stories together for a fascinating look at the building of the Chicago World's Fair and the first documented American serial killer in the same city at the same time. The history was fascinating and I was constantly on the internet searching for more information and photographs (my only complaint that this book should have had more photographs of the people and events covered). I loved both parts of the story equally which is a great credit to the abilities of this author. I highly recommend this book.
Rated of 5
by
me
the devil in the white city
I thought this book was very well written, though I thought too much time was spent developing the setting. I would have rather followed H. H. Holmes' plotline for a greater portion of the book.
Rated of 5
by
lilac
Title well chosen
As a true crime fan, I picked this up initially as H.H. Holmes is billed as the first serial killer in the US. How could I resist this tease? But as I read, the killings became less important (not to belittle the awful lost of life) and the building of the fair took on a life of it's own. The fair became a character, more than a backdrop for this well told story. I was enthralled by the images and history Erik Larsen shared. This book was a jumping off point for interlibrary loan of many other books dealing with the fair itself. I loved the weaving of Holmes story and the fair. H. H.Holmes certainly was an evil man, handsome, smart, and charismatic like many serial killers. If I met him, I'm positive I would have liked him and that's what is truly scary.
If you can get your hands on the DVD H.H. Holmes: America's first serial killer / Waterfront Productions presents a John Borowski film ; producer, John Borowski ; writer, John Borowski ; director, John Borowski, it's worth a watch.
I had read Isaac's Storm (Larsen) before this for a book discussion in our library. We all agreed we liked the author's writing but didn't care about the people as much as we thought we should in Isaac's Storm. Thunderstruck is on my bookshelf waiting for my the right reading moment. Mr. Larsen is top-notch on my list.
Rated of 5
by
Keri
The Devil In The White City iworks on a number of levels. For the history buff, it sheds some light on an era that is eclipsed in history classes by the America of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the World Wars. Larson's descriptions of the technological and architectural legacies of the Chicago World's Fair alone might not compel the reader to embrace this book.
The author has added delightful human motivation. The colossal egos associated with the men who built "the dream" and, indeed, with the entire populace of Chicago (out to prove that Chicago can rival New York in sophistication and "out-Eiffel Eiffel") make this a wonderful anthropological study of East Coast VS. Midwest sensibility.
On top of that, Larson has thrown in a historical serial killer about whom, unbelievably enough, most of his readers have probably never heard.
Chapter by chapter, Larson weaves these threads beautifully so that the reader sees the connection between Chicago's preoccupation with the Fair and a madman allowed to literally "go to town" unnoticed for the Fair's duration.
"Devil" is a fabulous read and it's well-researched to boot.
Rated of 5
by
joe alley
a bit too much detail,especially concerning the fair. it became tedious reading.however since this was a book being read for discussion by a library 'reading club' i read it all!ja
Rated of 5
by
JC
Found this book to be very intriguing for the concurrent plots. A thriller-diller on one hand and a seemingly impossible tale of politics and human endeavor on the other. Introduced me to turn-of-century figures that still resonate today. History brought alive. Only disappointment - coming to the end.
You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family.
The Postmistress is an unforgettable tale of the secrets we must bear, or bury. It is about what happens to love during wartime, when those we cherish leave. And how every story-of love or war-is about looking left when we should have been looking right.
Masterfully blending true events with fiction, this blockbuster historical thriller delivers a page-turning murder mystery set on the sixteenth-century Oxford University campus.
Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. The Swan Thieves is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.
I read this book in two days and found it so refreshing. Although you will learn a great deal about barn owls by reading it, the book is not just ...
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I enjoyed reading this book, however, feel that this is not completely her own ideas. This books remembers me of a cross between 'ghost','Sixth ...
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Lisa See has written a great book! This story is satisfying on many levels, some scenes horrifying, but seemingly truthful, and her handling of the ...
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Amazon 'buy button' rumors abound(Mar 18 2010) Rumors swirled today that Amazon could revoke the buy buttons for books by Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Penguin, or Hachette if the major publishers can't...
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Amazon's e-pricing threats(Mar 18 2010) With Apple's iPad launch just weeks away, Amazon raised the stakes again when it threatened to stop directly selling the books of some publishers online...
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The Devil in the White City
of 5
by
Lynn
of 5
by
me
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